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Apple gets hit with Siri class action suit

Apple is in legal cross-hairs once again, not from a rival corporation this time, but a large portion of its fan base in a class action.

The legal action claims that the TV campaign for Siri is misleading and pure “fiction” and deliberately “deceptive.” Filed by New Yorker Mr. Frank M. Fazio, it invites anyone similarly affected by Apple’s advertising to come forward and join the suit. No doubt Mr Fazio’s legal representative is hoping for as many as possible.

“[Apple’s] advertisements regarding the Siri feature are fundamentally and designedly false and misleading,” the complaint reads. “The iPhone 4S’s Siri feature does not perform as advertised, rendering the iPhone 4S merely a more expensive iPhone 4.”

Apple’s defence for much of the complaints will likely be that the software is still firmly in beta and therefore not fully representative of what it will become. The court room will have to decide whether you’re allowed to advertise a product as it will be though, instead of how it is.

Commenters at the Washington Post have said that while they can agree that Apple is perhaps stretching the truth with its advertising, it would be a bit far to call the ads fiction – considering the author of the article had no problem setting appointment reminders and other basic Siri functions.

Apple has been in the news for its Siri app for other reasons, its Japanese version performing poorly in comparison to a native Japanese mobile provider’s own offerings. I wouldn’t be surprised if Siri ended up incorporating that somehow – saves the fruity firm tweaking its somewhat problematic software.